Last week, Monday Night Raw started the Superstar Shake-up, by receiving acquisitions like Alexa Bliss and Dean Ambrose, while trading away the likes of Charlotte, The New Day, and Kevin Owens. Now that the post-WrestleMania roster changes are in the past, General Manager Kurt Angle and the rest of the Raw crew look towards their next Pay-Per-View, Payback, which is in just two weeks.
Opening Segment
We start the night with Braun Strowman, who destroyed Roman Reigns and an ambulance last week. Strowman brags about sending Reigns out in an ambulance (not the one he tipped over), as well as giving Reigns a separated shoulder and cracked ribs. The mountain of a man wants to tear through the entire locker room, but he gets interrupted by Kurt Angle.
Even though Reigns is suffering from injuries, Angle makes a match between Reigns and Strowman at “the appropriately named Pay-Per-View,” Payback. Angle then gives Strowman the night off, but he wants more competition, “or else.” It seems like we will find out what “or else” means throughout the night.
Samoa Joe vs. Chris Jericho
Two weeks ago, Chris Jericho was being interviewed for a match later in the night, when he was attacked by Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe. Jericho just returned at the end of last week, so tonight he gets his chance at, well, payback. Seth Rollins joins the commentary team since he will be scouting for his match with Samoa Joe at Payback, which is full of personal hatred going back a couple months.
Samoa Joe locks in the Coquina Clutch, and while Jericho tries to turn it into a pinfall, Joe keeps enough control to force Y2J to tap out. Winner (via submission): Samoa Joe
Backstage Segment
Golden Truth is heading their way to the entrance curtain for their upcoming match with Gallows and Anderson when they are assaulted by Braun Strowman. Strowman tosses them around the backstage area until personnel gets in between him and Golden Truth. We have seemed to find out what the “or else” means.
Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. Enzo Amore & Big Cass
Since the Golden Truth are out of action, Enzo Amore and Big Cass step in the vacancy to help build some momentum of their own. Both of these teams were knocked out of the Raw Tag Team Championship title picture over the past couple weeks, and if Sheamus and Cesaro lose their title match to the Hardy Boyz, the winner of this match could be next in line.
Karl Anderson counters a jumping DDT from Enzo Amore and throws Amore knees first onto the top turnbuckle. Amore flips down to the canvas and Anderson takes advantage for the pinfall. Winners: Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson
MizTV (w/Maryse) feat. Dean Ambrose
Dean Ambrose and The Miz were the first two Superstars to get “shaken up” to Raw, and their segment last week ended with Miz getting hit by Dirty Deeds. Miz goes on about how Ambrose isn’t a “real champion,” and how he doesn’t define what a WWE Superstar should be. This, of course, leads to a fight with ends with the Miz escaping by the skin of his teeth.
TJ Perkins vs. Jack Gallagher
On last week’s episode of 205 Live, Jack Gallagher and TJ Perkins squared off in a great main event, and Perkins would end up victorious. Perkins had a change of attitude last week, joining forces with Neville and all-in-all turning into a bit of a jerk. Gallagher tried to beat the attitude out of him in their last match but was unsuccessful, and he might be able to do that tonight. Neville got his own seat at ringside to watch the match and Austin Aries decides to do the same thing.
While at ringside, TJ Perkins pushes Jack Gallagher into a seated Austin Aries. Aries looks to attack Perkins, but Neville sweeps A-Double on the ring apron. Gallagher is distracted by all of this, and Perkins takes advantage by kicking the middle rope into his face then finishing him off with the Detonation Kick for the win. Winner: TJ Perkins
Sasha Banks vs. Mickie James vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Nia Jax – #1 Contender’s Match (Raw Women’s Championship)
Since Bayley retained the Raw Women’s Championship at WrestleMania, she needs a new #1 Contender. Nia Jax and Sasha Banks have been involved in the title picture for a couple months, while Mickie James and Alexa Bliss are competing in their first Monday Night Raw match since being traded. James hasn’t competed on Raw since 2010, while Bliss has never previously been in a match on Raw.
Nia Jax uses Sasha Banks to knock Mickie James off of the ring apron then hits Banks with a Samoan Drop. Alexa Bliss dropkicks Jax out of the ring and steals the pinfall to become Bayley’s new challenger. Winner, and NEW #1 Contender: Alexa Bliss
Curt Hawkins vs. Finn Balor
Last week, Curt Hawkins made his first appearance on Raw since his return and he immediately got knocked out by the Big Show. Hawkins lays out an open challenge, and he gets the former NXT and Universal Champion, Finn Balor. Balor defeated Jinder Mahal last week and received a cryptic message from Bray Wyatt.
Hawkins does absolutely nothing in the match, and Balor hits the Coup de Grace within a minute for the win. Winner: Finn Balor
Jeff Hardy (w/Matt Hardy) vs. Cesaro (w/Sheamus)
At Payback, The Hardy Boyz will defend the Raw Tag Team Championships against Sheamus and Cesaro, but tonight we have a bit of a “dream match” between Jeff Hardy and Cesaro. Jeff Hardy, a former three-time WWE Champion, hasn’t competed in a one-on-one match on Monday Night Raw in nearly eight years.
Cesaro gets several near falls on Jeff Hardy, but Hardy manages to hit the Swanton Bomb to get the victory. After the match, Sheamus and Cesaro extend their hands and the champions hesitantly shake their hands. Winner: Jeff Hardy
Big Show vs. Braun Strowman
Along with his assault of Golden Truth, Braun Strowman also attacked Kalisto earlier tonight. Big Show blindsided Strowman and challenged him to pick on somebody his own size. Show and Strowman competed in the main event of Raw several weeks ago and it was a surprisingly good match with Strowman coming out on top.
Braun Strowman hits Big Show with a superplex, which forces the ring to collapse. The match ends up being a no contest, but Strowman is the only one who gets to his feet. Result (via broken ring): No Contest
